Pepper Snaps
by Torn Book
Summary: A revived version of BS Sacramenti and Lex Divina's fanfiction. Hiro's in search of a new thing that would raise Bad Luck's status to total stardom. He finds a fresh new talent for the band but that's not the only thing he found. WARNING: Yaoi-Fluff-Lemon
1. Track 1: Fuyu

**Track 1 – Fuyu**

Hiro took another swig from his half full glass of brandy as he immersed himself deeper in thought.

"Hey Hiro, summer vacation's just in the corner. Got no plans?" asked Al who was wiping a wine glass in the counter.

"Not really…" dismissed Hiro as he signaled the bartender to fill his glass up.

"You seem to be in a sour mood." told Al, grabbing the bottle of brandy in the bar and pouring its contents into Hiro's now empty glass.

"Our last single tanked." scowled Hiro grimly.

"Harsh… Don't worry, I'm sure Bad Luck will do better next time." assured Al.

"That's what K said a month back…" answered Hiro bitterly as he took in the contents of the glass in one go.

"Ah well, if it makes you stay here and drink more…" teased Al as he went back to arranging the wine glasses.

Hiro looked around the practically empty tavern. There was no one else there but him and Al.

"Looks like your business isn't doing good as well Al…" said Hiro.

"Yeah. It's because of that new bar down Hirano." frowned the bartender.

"That place?! They wouldn't know good alcohol even if their mother breastfed it to them." defended Hiro.

"I wish I had more patrons like you Hiro. You've got what it takes to be a wine connoisseur." complimented Al. He poured more brandy into Hiro's glass.

"_Kekekeke… He's still a sucker for compliments_" laughed Hiro in his thoughts.

The familiar sound of the door chime filled the tavern. Hiro looked back to see who had entered the tavern. It was a young boy, roughly 12 year old with short pale blonde hair and golden eyes. He was wearing a blue ski jacket and a pair of black denim shorts as well as a pair of sneakers.

"Hey! No minors allowed!" scolded Al to the newcomer.

"Do you have a karaoke machine here mister?" asked the child.

"Didn't you hear what I said?!" yelled Al.

"Chill Al. I think he isn't here for a drink." smiled Hiro. "There's one over there." pointed Hiro to the right corner of the tavern.

"Yay! Thanks mister!" said the child as he all but rushed to the machine in anticipation.

"You're gonna have my business closed here Hiro! You shouldn't have let him in!" whispered Al angrily at Hiro.

"Lighten up will you? Besides, he's not drinking isn't he?!" reasoned Hiro.

The child plugged in the karaoke machine and began selecting a song.

"Let's see… I wonder if they have Monochrome here…" muttered the child as he browsed through the songs on the screen.

"Monochrome? Isn't that that punk song by those two girls? What were they called again?" asked Al.

"It was sung by BENNIE K. Shuichi's sister watches this soap opera which uses that song as its intro…" answered Hiro.

"I see. I've heard some of their songs. Most of them are really high-pitched." explained Al. "Better get your ear plugs ready…" warned Al.

"You really think he'll suck?" asked Hiro.

"Absolutely! That song was meant to be sung by women!" responded Al.

"Wanna bet on it?" smiled Hiro.

"Hmmm… Alright! What's your wager?" asked Al.

"Bad Luck will perform here for free if you win." answered Hiro proudly.

"Oh? And what if you win?" asked Al anxiously.

"You cancel all my debts here…" grinned Hiro.

Al swallowed his throat after Hiro laid down his conditions. Hiro had been racking up a large bill on his bar but the prospect of his bar getting attention for Bad Luck's performance was too good to pass.

"Alright, you're on!" yelled Al bravely.

Hiro grinned happily at Al's answer. Sure he hadn't met the child before but he believed that the child won't pick that song if he can't sing it.

"Aha! It's here!" said the boy joyfully as he pressed the play button on the machine.

A mellow tune started playing from the karaoke. The boy took one deep breath and clutched the microphone in his hand.

**_Yeah… Yeah…Yeah yeah yeah…_**

**_Kudaranai iiwake wa kuchi ni suru tsumori mo nai kedo_**

**_Wakattetanda mitasareru hazu no nai koto o_**

**_But I'm trying to fly_**

**_Itsu no hi ka nukedaseru you na ki ga shite_**

**_Sou omoitakute_**

**_Iyake no sasu kono hibi o_**

**_Gomakasu koto bakari shite_**

**_Hashittetanda_**

Hiro and Al were left in awe at the sound of the child's voice. He was still years from puberty so he spoke in a high pitched manner but when he sang, it was a completely different, he sounded almost feminine.

"See? What'd I tell you?!" laughed Hiro.

Al started to sweat, nervous at his impending loss.

The rap sequence of the song started. The child stopped singing and waited for it to end.

_It's the show time_

_Give it up for material girls_

_Gucci Fendi Louis Vuitton_

_Chanel mo motto_

_All enryo sezu name the price_

_Anata no kachi ittai donkurai?_

_Gucci Fendi Louis Vuitton_

_Oh Chanel ga nakya hakarenai jidai_

_Senshinkoku Nippon ni umare_

_Kaereru to omotta nanka uta de?_

_Genjitsu to iu aranami ni utare_

_Wakatta no wa "jinsei kachimake" tte_

_Yarareru mae ni yareru ka?_

_Makeinu nara nareru ka?_

_All day All night nande owannai_

_Jikan wa kyou mo tarinai_

The ambient voice from the karaoke sang the raps but the boy merely stood there waiting. His happy and bubbly expression was replaced by a rather smug one.

"Well we know one thing, he can't rap…" said Al.

_Tada fuan datte itande_

_Fumangatte dareka o higande_

_Arittake de warattatte_

_Hontou wa mou wake wakannai desu_

_Kurai jibun wa kirai_

_Yuujou to ka kusai shi iranai_

_Jibun no kachi sonna no shiranai_

_Kanjou wa mou uzai shi iranai_

The rap sequence ended and the voice resumed singing.

**_Oh..._**

**_But I'm trying to fly_**

**_Doko made mo muchuu de oikaketa kedo_**

**_Todokanakute_**

**_Nasakenai jibun o kakushite_**

**_Itsuwaru koto bakari shite_**

**_Demo ienakute_**

The song had come to another rap sequence. As the boy listened to the second voice's rapping, a tear slid from his cheeks.

_Itsuka tsumuida tane uso de nurikatame_

_Takaku takaku kabe hatta mamoru tame_

_Kawaita no wa naze? Te ni shita shiawase_

_Mou jibun de sae aisenai naka de_

The boy took a deep breath and prepared for the song's high bridge.

**_Owari no nai kono yami ni_**

**_Donna koe de ikura naitatte_**

**_Muda da nante kizuiteta_**

**_Demo tomaranainda_**

**_Sore de mo mada_**

**_Itsu no hi ka jiyuu ni nareru ki ga shite_**

**_Utatterunda_**

**_Mijime na kibun ni nattatte_**

**_Sore sura waraitobashite_**

**_Mae dake o mite_**

The boy landed the high pitched bridge rather effortlessly. Hiro and Al's jaws hung wide open in amusement.

"D-Did he just? Unbelievable…" stuttered Al.

Hiro shot a concerned stare at the boy. He hadn't expected the child to cry whilst listening to the raps.

"Guess I lost huh?" sighed Al lowly.

"Yeah yeah… Okay Al." said Hiro, uninterested at the bartender's surrender. He stood up from his seat and approached the child.

The song slowly faded into a mellow ballad and finally died out. The score screen appeared on the karaoke, displaying 50 points. The boy set down the microphone and walked away from the machine. He didn't notice Hiro who was coming towards him. They ended up crashing to each other and landing on the cold hard floor of the tavern.

"Oww! That hurts…" groaned the boy as he rubbed his butt in an attempt to ease the pain he felt.

"Ah, sorry sorry!" apologized Hiro profusely as he help the child to his feet. The child looked at Hiro, trying to think if he had met him before.

"I-I'm sorry mister. I shouldn't be talking to strangers…" said the child as he walked off towards the front door.

"Wait! I need to tell you something!" yelled Hiro.

"I told you mister; I'm not allowed to talk to…"

"How'd you like to be in a band!" yelled Hiro.

The child stopped in his tracks, his attention caught by Hiro's proposition.

"A band?" asked the child.

"Yeah, a band. Bad Luck to be exact." said Hiro. "I heard you sing back there and I can't express how much I liked it!" complimented the red head.

"Bad Luck?? I've never heard of it before…" told the child smugly.

Hiro's eyes twitched at the child's words. It was depressing that their band hasn't quite achieved the popularity they craved for.

"I'm Hiroshi Kanako or Hiro, guitarist of Bad Luck." introduced Hiro as he extended a handshake to the boy.

The child reluctantly accepted the handshake.

"I'm Chico Asagiri." replied the child.

"Chico huh? That's a cute name…" giggled Hiro.

Chico was taken aback at the smell of Hiro's breath.

"Eeew mister. Your breath smells like alcohol and fish!" squealed Chico.

"_Well what did you expect?!"_ growled Hiro mentally.

"Listen Chico, do you want to join Bad Luck?" asked Hiro again.

"Well… I don't know…" thought Chico.

"I'll talk to your parents if that's what you're worried about." offered Hiro.

"No that's not it. I'm not sure if you really are a member of a band!" explained Chico.

"I assure you Chico, I am a member of Bad Luck!" assured Hiro.

"He's right kid. I'm surprised you haven't heard of them yet." added Al.

"What do you say Chico?" asked Hiro.

"I'll have to think about it. Meet me at Fun Panic Arcade tomorrow at 4 in the afternoon." said Chico.

"Alright!" answered Hiro.

Chico gave one last nod before leaving the shop.

"Wait a second!" yelled Hiro, remembering to question Chico for his teary reaction.

Chico didn't hear Hiro amidst the busy street outside Al's tavern. Hiro decided to save the question for their meeting tomorrow.

"Al… I think I've found what Bad Luck needed…" told Hiro, a sweet smile creeping to his lips.

_**I've decided to continue this fan fiction originally authored by the past owners of this account. Please Read and Review!**_

_**(Chapter Notes)**_

_**BENNIE K is a real Japanese band and Monochrome is one of their songs (And one of their latest too!).**_

_**The soap opera that Hiro was talking about is Binbou Danshi and it is a real Japanese program. The fact that it uses Monochrome as an intro song is also true.**_

_**This chapter is a revised version of BS Sacramenti and Lex Divina's original work.**_


	2. Track 2: Hummingbird

**Track 2 – Hummingbird**

Hiro revved up his motorcycle, causing a thick cloud of smoke to come out of its exhaust. He had just finished their daily practice and was on his way to the arcade that Chico had told him.

"Where are you off to Hiro?" asked Shuichi, drinking a bottle of mineral water to quench his dry throat.

"Going to meet someone downtown." answered Hiro.

Shuichi started elbowing Hiro playfully with an equally playfully grin to boot.

"IS IT SOMEONE SPECIAL?? HMMM??" smiled Shuichi sheepishly.

Out of nowhere, Hiro pulled out a harisen (paper fan) and smacked Shuichi squarely on the head.

"Idiot!" yelled Hiro.

"Well who is it then?" asked Shuichi curiously whilst rubbing the sore bump in his head.

"You'll find out soon enough!" assured Hiro as he released his footing from the ground and sped off, away from the studio.

"Wonder what Hiro's up to…?" told Shuichi to the sky.

At downtown

Hiro parked his motorcycle on one of the bike parks in front of the arcade. It was conveniently located a few blocks from Al's tavern. Hiro peeked in the clear glass window in front of the shop to see if Chico was there.

Indeed he was there, energetically dancing on the Para Para Machine with several spectators forming around him.

Hiro entered the arcade but immediately wished he hadn't. The noise outside the shop was nothing compared to the one inside. Buzzes and bleeps sounded everywhere. Cheers and curses of adrenaline chucked teenagers and kids filled the crowded shop. Hiro tried to squirm through the crowd that was watching Chico in order to reach him.

"That kid's inhuman! He's totally kicking Miyu's ass!" whispered one of the spectators.

"Just look at that gap! Miyu's done for!" told a feminine voice on Hiro's left.

"Scuse me… Sorry! Coming though…" apologized Hiro as he went deeper into the crowd before finally reaching its front.

Chico and a teenage woman were squaring off in the para machine. Hiro's expression was pure joy and sugar while the girl's was the complete opposite. Sweat poured from her long disheveled black hair. An angry scowl was engraved in her lips as she tried her best to keep up with Chico's moves.

"Ah, Chico!" called Hiro to the dancing child.

"Oh, Hiro-kun! Just a minute…" only sparing a small glance at Hiro before resuming his dancing.

The song ended and the result screen appeared. It didn't take a genius to figure out who the winner was. "Miyu" and her posse stormed off angrily from the arcade, spitting curses as they did.

"Okay! Who's next?!" called Chico out.

The crowd backed off at Chico's challenge. Some of them scampered away in fear.

"Hunh… Oh well!" shrugged Chico as he stepped away from the para machine and approached Hiro.

"That was great Chico! I haven't seen anyone para like that!" praised Hiro.

"It's all about practice, cake and cola!" laughed Chico proudly.

_This kid's got issues with sugar…_

"So. Have you decided if you want to join Bad Luck yet?" asked Hiro.

Chico stroked his chin in thought.

"I don't know… I still haven't decided yet…" muttered Chico.

"Huh?! B-But you said…"

"Maybe some ice cream will help me think!" smiled Chico sweetly.

"Err… Okay. But where are we…?" wondered Hiro but he was cut off when Chico grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the arcade.

"Over there! Over there!" pointed Chico to the ice cream parlor in front of the arcade.

"Okay okay, we'll get you some ice cream. But promise me that you'll decide if you want to join after I get you some okay?" requested Hiro.

"Uh-huh! I promise!" pledged Chico.

The two of them crossed the street and went inside the ice cream salon. Chico all but salivated at the pictures of ice cream posted on the menu.

"What will you be having?" asked the clerk.

"I want that!" pointed Chico to the banana split picture on the menu.

"One banana split. That will be 10,000 yen sir…" said the clerk.

Hiro smugly took out his wallet and pulled out several bills.

_There goes my paycheck for that live in Hick Station..._

After placing their orders, Hiro led Chico to one of the vacant tables in the shop and sat down.

"So Chico, do you have any thoughts at all at joining Bad Luck?" asked Hiro.

"Uhm… Well I thought a little about it last night." told Chico.

"And?" asked Hiro eagerly.

"I'm worried that it may interfere with school." answered Chico.

"Oh…" muttered Hiro disappointedly.

"Unless of course, I get some help." added Chico.

"What do you mean?" asked Hiro.

"I live alone." responded Chico.

"Alone? You're so young, how could you…?" asked Hiro but he was cut off when Chico started talking.

"My mom and dad broke up when I was 7. Since then, I lived with my mom but we desperately needed money because my dad took off with all our money. Mom had to work overseas for a living and leave me here in Japan." told Chico. His face was unaffected by the sad mood of the conversation.

"No adult watches over you?" asked Hiro.

"There is one, our neighbor Mrs. Takeaki. My mother appointed her as my legal guardian while she was abroad." told Chico. "I live in a house at Saiga Street. Since I have no one else to look out for me I do most of the chores myself, except for laundry!" laughed Chico.

"I see. So if you add band practices and performances to your every day life…" said Hiro in a depressed tone.

Chico nodded in response and gave a short sigh. "I really want to join Hiro, but I don't think I can cram it up my schedule…"

The sad mood of the conversation was dispersed when the waiter set down a heaping bowl of ice cream at their table.

"Here's your order sir. Please enjoy!" smiled the waiter.

"Oh I intend to!" replied Chico, grabbing a spoon and scooping a heaping mound of chocolate and vanilla ice cream drenched in chocolate sauce. He jabbed the cold cream into his mouth. "SO GOOOOD!!" squealed Chico on delight. Then suddenly, Chico grabbed his head and started flailing his foot in pain.

Hiro couldn't help himself from giggling at the sight of Chico struggling with the wonders of brain freeze.

"You shouldn't eat so much in one go…" chuckled Hiro. He also started spooning his way through the mountain of ice cream on the table.

Chico ignored Hiro's advice and merely stuffed more ice cream into his mouth.

"I've looked around the music store earlier to see if I can get a hold of your CD. The shopkeeper said that they had run out of your Bests collection so I bought your latest one." told Chico as he pulled the chocolate wafer from the glass and began eating it.

"Oh, so you got Torrent huh? What do you think of it?" asked Hiro.

"Well… I thought the lyrics was good but I'm not really into rock so I can't really judge if it was performed well." apologized Chico.

"I see. Well what ARE you into?" added Hiro.

"I'm more of a pop and punk person." answered Chico, unwary of the smear of chocolate sauce in his left cheek.

"Well… That's not gonna be a problem…" smiled Hiro as he took a tissue and wiped the chocolate stain off of Chico's face.

"Thanks! Hey, can I call you Hiro-kun? I call all my older friends that way!" smiled Chico.

"Uh sure… Okay." nodded Hiro. "Have you had any experience in performing before?" asked Hiro.

"Yup! Me and my friends perform at the school festival every year." told Chico.

"Hahaha…! I remember when me and Shuichi made our first school festival performance. He kept forgetting the lyrics to the song we wrote!" laughed Hiro.

"Shuichi? Who is he?" asked Chico.

"He is Bad Luck's lead vocalist and my best friend." replied Hiro.

"So that's his voice in the song! I liked it very much!" bragged Chico.

"Really? He'll be happy to hear that!" smiled Hiro.

"Who does the synthesizer?" questioned Chico.

"The youngest member of the band, Suguru Fujisaki." answered Hiro.

Chico almost choked at the mention of Suguru's name. He coughed out a bit and drank some water to push down the pre-chewed banana that got stuck in his throat.

"WHO?!" asked Chico aggressively.

"Suguru Fujisaki. Why? Do you know him?!" wondered Hiro.

"Know him?! He's one of those friends I'm talking about!" answered Chico.

"You're one of Suguru's classmates?" gasped Hiro.

"Well not really a classmate. Suguru's on an advanced class being a genius and all. But he goes to the same school as me!" added Chico.

"I see. So will that be one more reason for you to consider joining us?" smiled Hiro sheepishly.

"I guess so. I really want to join, I really do, but there's still that matter of time constraints…" frowned Chico.

"I've been thinking, and I think I've come up with a solution…" grinned Hiro.

"Really? What?" asked Chico curiously.

"I'll move in with you." answered Hiro confidently.

_(Effect: Silence dots appear above Chico's head)_

"Wha?" asked Chico in a ridiculed manner.

"No, think about it. We could divide the chores plus you'll be able to join the band. It all works out right?!" explained Hiro.

"Are you crazy?! I can't let someone I've just met to move in with me!" disagreed Chico.

"But you said you really wanted to join. This could be the best solution we've got!" begged Hiro.

"Well… I don't know… I mean, I have to tell this to mom and I don't know if she'll approve." reasoned Chico.

"I've also thought about that. Tell me, is that neighbor of yours' first name is Misao?" asked Hiro.

"Yeah! Mrs. Misao Takeaki. What about it?" asked Chico.

"She's actually my grandmother from my father's side!" laughed Hiro.

"No kidding? So you're that long-haired and stubborn grandson she was talking about all the time." giggled Chico.

_Stubborn?_

"I'm sure mom will like it if someone younger than Mrs. Takeaki would watch over me." smiled Chico.

"Perfect! So all that's left is your decision. Last chance, do you really want to join Bad Luck?" asked Hiro again.

"Yes, definitely!" nodded Chico.

Hiro jumped for joy at Chico's approval.

"Let's go. I'll introduce you to the crew!" told Hiro excitedly.

"Right now?" asked Chico.

"Of course!" answered Hiro.

They left the ice cream shop and boarded Hiro's motorcycle. Hiro handed the bike helmet that was hanging from the handlebars to Chico. He strapped the child in before starting his bike.

"Hold on tight okay?!" advised Hiro.

Chico wrapped his arms around Hiro's belly and buried his head on the older man's back.

"Haven't rode a motorcycle before?" giggled Hiro.

"No! Are you an excellent driver?" asked Chico.

"I've crashed a couple of times or so…" told Hiro.

"WHAT?!" panicked Chico.

"Hahah, just kidding!" laughed Hiro as he let go of his footing and put the bike on drive.

_**Hope you liked this chapter. Don't forget to Read and Review!**_


	3. Track 3: Acceptance

**Track 3 – Acceptance**

"Here we are! N-G Productions!" introduced Hiro as he parked his motorcycle outside of the studio.

"Wow! I've never seen an actual recording studio before!" gasped Chico, completely taken aback at the size of the building.

"Come on, I'll tour you around!" invited Hiro.

Chico nodded anxiously and followed Hiro to the entrance. The hot summer atmosphere was replaced by a cooler one as soon as they entered the building.

"Good morning Nakano-san!" greeted the receptionist, Miku.

"Good morning Miku!" greeted Hiro back. "Have you seen K and the others?" asked Hiro.

"Oh they're at Studio C on the fifth floor. Shindou-san and Fujisaki-san are also there." answered Miku.

"Thanks Miku!" replied Hiro.

"And who is this?" asked Miku pointing towards Chico.

"Ah, this is Chico. He'll be auditioning for Bad Luck today!" bragged Hiro.

"Oh is he now? Good luck then!" giggled Miku, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

_She's not taking me seriously!_

"Well okay then. See you later Miku." dismissed Hiro as he made his way towards the elevator with Chico tagging along. Hiro pressed the button for the respective floor and the elevator door slowly closed. Hiro and Chico felt the elevator's ascent.

"Whoah… I feel funny!" gasped Chico.

"Don't tell me you haven't been on an elevator before…" teased Hiro.

"Uhh… Of course not!" lied Chico. He was having trouble standing up straight, feeling the wobbly effects of the elevator's rise.

The elevator stopped at the second floor and the door slowly opened. A long haired man entered the elevator and Hiro didn't look very happy.

"Hiro! Fancy meeting you here!" greeted the long-haired man merrily.

"Keep it to yourself Ma-kun…" hissed Hiro.

"Ma-kun's" smile dropped at Hiro's display of coldness. Chico however, was curious at why his new friend is angry at the man. He observed his face which Ma-kun immediately noticed.

"Hey there little guy! What are you doing here?" asked Ma-kun as any enchanted adult would.

"I'm going to audition for Bad Luck!" replied Chico happily.

"Oh… Is that so?" replied Ma-kun in a rather disappointed tone.

Hiro enjoyed the way Ma-kun drooped at the sound of his band's name. He had only wished he had his audio recorder to immortalize the moment.

"What are you auditioning for?" asked Ma-kun.

"Uhh… I'll be singing, right Hiro-kun?!" answered Chico doubtfully as he tugged the end of Hiro's jacket.

"Yeah Chico! You're gonna be doing back-up vocals…" nodded Hiro, grinning evilly at Ma-kun.

"Yeah, what he said!" told Chico to Ma-kun.

"Really? That's great little dude!" chuckled Ma-kun as he rubbed Chico's hair briskly.

"You're a really nice man mister! What's your name?" asked Chico.

"People around here call me Ma-kun."

"Can I call you Ma-kun?" asked Chico.

"Sure!" answered Ma-kun.

"I'm Chico by the way." introduced Chico.

"Chico huh? I'll remember that." smiled Ma-kun. The elevator stopped at the fourth floor and the door slid open. "Oops, I gotta split now Chico. Let's have lunch sometime when you get the part okay?" winked Ma-kun as he went out the elevator.

"Okay Ma-kun! Promise okay?!" yelled Chico.

The elevator door closed, leaving Chico and Hiro alone again.

"Are all the people here this nice?" asked Chico.

"Chico, there's something I need to say about Ma-kun…" said Hiro, his perky face gone and replaced by a serious and stern one.

"What's wrong with Ma-kun?" asked Chico.

"You shouldn't get close to him. Once you've joined Bad Luck, he'll be one of your rivals." explained Hiro.

"So? It's not like we'll be enemies or anything…" reasoned Chico.

"It's not him who will be your enemy. It's that bastard of a bandmate of his, Taki." cursed Hiro. "When we were still on our novice years, he did some things to drag us down." related Hiro, remembering the lecherous act Taki did to Shuichi.

"Oh… But, maybe he's different. Maybe he's not like that other guy!" defended Chico.

"If Taki knew that you were hanging out with Ma-kun, he'll take advantage of that situation for the benefit of ASK." answered Hiro angrily.

Chico was startled by Hiro's bitter reaction.

"Okay, I understand. I won't go near him again!" swore Chico.

The elevator made a melodious ring, signaling that it had reached its destination. The doors slid open and the two stepped out and made their way towards the studio. Chico innocently observed the rooms they have passed. None of them caught much of the child's interest.

"Over there." pointed Hiro to the door with the plaque "Studio C" hanging in it's frames. Hiro opened the door revealing a narrow, dark room with a table full of flashing buttons. Inside was a blonde-haired businessman and a purple-haired lady.

"Hiro! We've been looking all over for you! Where have you been?! And who is that with you?!" asked the businessman in quick succession.

"One at a time K-san! You're giving me a headache!" complained Hiro.

"Who's that?!" pointed the lady towards Chico.

"He's the one I was talking about Noriko. Everyone, this is Chico." introduced Hiro.

Chico gave a short wave to Noriko and K.

"You're kidding? Right?!" asked K sarcastically.

"No really, this IS him!" protested Hiro.

"Hiro, stop fooling around and take this kid back to his parents!" ordered Noriko.

"I'M SERIOUS GUYS! HE'S THE ONE I HEARD SINGING AT THE TAVERN!" yelled Hiro.

"Hiro, you were drunk back then. Maybe it was someone else…" sighed K.

"I know you want to raise Bad Luck from its recent flop but… OWW!" growled Noriko.

Chico was playfully pulling on Noriko's hair.

"Wow purple hair! Is this real?!" asked Chico.

"OF COURSE IT IS YOU BRAT!" answered Noriko angrily as she pulled the strand of hair in Chico's hands away from him.

"Cool! I've never seen someone with natural purple hair!" chuckled Chico.

"See what I mean Hiro? He's completely immature!" complained Noriko.

"Look, if I can prove that he's the one that I heard, you'll accept him into the band?" requested Hiro.

"Well… I don't know…" thought K.

"Please K-san. Trust me on this." begged Hiro.

"Okay, let's give it a shot." approved K.

"Ooh! Ooh! I brought one of my minus ones just in case!" presented Chico, reaching into his knapsack and pulling out a CD case.

"BENNIE K? A punk group?" asked Noriko, taking the CD from Chico's hand and placing it in the player.

"Okay Hiro, take him to the recording booth." ordered K.

Hiro nodded and led Chico towards the adjacent room. Inside the booth, a microphone hung from the ceiling as well as a headset.

"Put this on…" said Hiro as he handed the headset to Chico.

Chico flimsily put on the headset while Hiro lowered the mic until his short stature can reach it.

"Ready?" asked Hiro.

"Let's do it Hiro-kun!!" replied Chico excitedly.

"Okay. In 1… 2… 3…" counted Noriko.

As soon as she counted 1, the song started to play on the headset. Chico's head nodded on the beat of the song.

_Ichido fumihazushita_

_Mienai kaidan ga atte_

_Kowaku natte_

_Ookiku kanjite itan da_

_Oh... Kirai ni natte_

_Oh... Nagedashita tte_

_Jibun kara wa nigerannai kara_

_So I bring me some new sox_

_Migaita kutsu de_

_Mou ikkai denaoshita tte_

_They can't say like_

_"Ahaha" no "ahaha" no, no_

_I believe myself_

_Oh no no_

_Oh no no..._

Chico's silky voice boomed on the other room. Like Hiro and Al's first reaction, Noriko and K were very surprised at the quality of Chico's voice.

"The heck?!" cursed Noriko in utter shock.

The rap sequence started and Chico merely moved to the beat rather than singing.

**So! Burn it man burn it man**

**Life is a bit like the tournament**

**Taigai no baai jibun shidai**

**Yarikittara koukai nante nai**

**Get it all together nette matte**

**Yes sentou moodo OK**

**Nebagiba desho?**

**Tenshon agatten nara minna**

**Clap your hands**

**Maite like this**

**Rizumu ni notte stop!!**

**Urahara doki tte iki wo kitte**

**Bounce now! And stop!!**

**Don't know what's comin' up**

**But I make it through**

**Konkyo nante nai kedo**

**As long as we keep all our dreams alive**

**Then we gonna make it there right!?**

The rap ended and Chico prepared to sing once more.

_Bring me some new sox!!_

_Fuku wo kigaete_

_Mou ikkai denaoshita tte_

_They can say like_

_"Ahaha" no "ahaha" no, no_

_So watch out now_

_Bring me my sunglasses!!_

_Josou tsukete_

_Mou ikkai sen idonda tte_

_We can sing like_

_"Ah ha ha" oh "ah ha ha" oh yeah_

_So believe yourself_

Hiro could barely contain himself after seeing Noriko and K's expression. All of a sudden, Shuichi and Suguru entered the control room, joining their seniors.

"Hey what's happening here?" asked Shuichi.

K merely pointed to the other room where Hiro and Chico were.

"Not bad. New talent?" complimented Suguru.

K shook his head and continued listening to Chico.

**Dark clound, loneliness, no helping hand**

**Can you handle this?**

_I make you say "ooh ooh ooh"_

_I know you can do it_

**What? Dark cloud, rainy day, no one's around**

**Can you handle this?**

_Ooops! Baby then you'll know_

_Your life will go on_

**Oh yeah?**

_Never give yourself up!_

**Ok!**

_Go and keep your head up!_

**Keep your hand up feel me?**

_Oh I'll take you there now_

**Why! You ready? Hold on**

**Now we gonna rock the house!!**

_Bring me some new sound_

_Eri wo tsumete_

_Mou ikkai denaoshita tte_

_They can say like_

_"Ahaha" no "ahaha" no, no_

_So watch out now_

_Bring me my sunglasses!!_

_Sora wo mezashite_

_Mou ikkai sen idonda tte_

_They can say like_

_"Ahaha" no "ahaha" oh yeah_

_So believe yourself_

The bridge of the song started. Hiro, K, and Noriko held their breath as Chico prepared to do it.

_Itsu datte_

_Ano kumo nukedasu tame nara_

_Donna kazamuki demo_

_It's not mine but it's alright yeah yeah_

All the people in the control room was plunged into shock.

"S-So high…" stuttered Shuichi.

"How could he have…" uttered Suguru.

By now, Hiro was laughing his heart out at K and the others. It sure was fun to make people eat their own words.

**Here we go now**

**Everybody say 'ah what?' ('ah what?')**

**Say 'ooh ooh' ('ohh ohh')**

**Ok say 'oh yeah!' ('oh yeah!')**

_Bring me some new sound_

_Kao wo agete_

_Mou ikkai denaoshita tte_

_They can't say like_

_"Ahaha" no "ahaha" no, no_

_Itsu datte_

_Machigai nante_

_Waraitobashi_

_Meiwaku datte kakechatte_

_Nanben datte yarinaoseru_

_You can make it right_

_Cause' I know it_

_Bring me my sunglasses!!_

_Sora wo mezashite_

_Mou ikkai sen idonda tte_

_They can say like_

_"Ahaha" no "ahaha" oh yeah_

_So believe yourself_

The song ended in an upbeat yet rhythmic tone, slowly fading into silence. Hiro removed the headset from Chico's head and gave him an incredible grin.

"Did I do good, huh?!" asked Chico fervently.

"Why don't you ask them?" pointed Hiro to the other room.

The two of them went back to the control room.

"Well, what do you think? Pretty sweet eh?" asked Hiro cockily.

"Ah! SUGURU!!" yelled Chico as he literally threw himself to Suguru.

"Waaaa!" cried Suguru as Chico squeezed the life out of him.

"Suguru-kunnn…! I missed you a lot!" squealed Chico.

"L-Let go Chico!" complained Suguru.

"You know him?" asked Shuichi.

"You know him?" asked K.

"You know him?" asked Noriko.

"Know him?! 'Course I do…" answered Suguru. "He's a schoolmate of mine, and a really annoying one too." frowned Suguru.

"ANNOYING?! What's that supposed to mean?!" pouted Chico. "Why didn't you call or something! I haven't heard a word from you after you moved!" complained Chico.

"I was busy okay!" replied Suguru angrily. "What are you doing here anyways?" asked Suguru.

"He's auditioning for Bad Luck." answered Noriko.

"Wha? You're replacing me?!" cried Shuichi, reverting to his chibi self.

"Don't be stupid Shuichi! He's not here to replace you!" answered Hiro. "He'll be doing back-up vocals…" corrected Hiro.

"That is… if your manager here approves it…" pointed Noriko to K who was deep in thought.

"YEAH! I'M NOT GOING TO BE REPLACED!!" cheered Shuichi.

"_Who said anything about that…_" thought Hiro.

"Well K-san? What's it gonna be?" asked Hiro eagerly.

Chico continued his attempt to break Suguru's spine in half with his incessant hugging. Suguru's arms flailed wildly.

"I've decided…" muttered K lowly.

Everyone's eyes glimmered in anticipation as they waited K's verdict.

"He's accepted… A little rough on the edges but a little work and he'll do great." answered K happily.

"ALRIGHT!" yelled Hiro victoriously.

"Oww, stop that!" complained Shuichi as Chico tugged on his hair.

"Wow, you've got pink hair! Is this real?!" giggled Chico.

_**Don't forget to Read and Review.**_

_**(Chapter Notes)**_

_**The song that was sung by Chico in this chapter is "Sunrise" by BENNIE K.**_


	4. Interlude: Lullaby

**Interlude – Lullaby**

"Hello, mom?"

"_Chico-chan?! Is that you Chico?_"

"Yeah mom, it's me."

"_Is something wrong?_"

"No, no mom. I just called to ask something."

"_Uh-huh._"

"Mrs. Takeaki has asked her grandson to look after me because she's going on vacation. Is that okay with you mom?"

"_Ah yes, Mrs. Takeaki had called earlier. He'll be moving in with you right?_"

"Yeah mom. His house is really far from ours…"

"_Okay. Just obey Mrs. Takeaki's grandson, okay? Don't be a bad boy now…_"

"giggle Of course mom. I won't…"

"_If there's anything wrong just call me okay?_"

"Kay mom. Love you!"

"_Love you too sweetie…_"

Chico hung up the phone and looked at Hiro happily.

"She said yes!" told Chico excitedly.

He gave Hiro a high five before helping Hiro with his luggage.

"Mom's room is upstairs. It's really spacious and it has a big bed!" told Chico as he dragged the wheeled luggage upstairs.

"Ah, wait Chico! I have something to tell you." stopped Hiro.

"Eh?" asked Chico.

"If it's okay , I'll just share rooms with you. I'll just sleep in the floor" smiled Hiro, pulling out the sleeping bag on one of his bags.

"Huh? Why?" questioned Chico.

"Well sleeping in your mom's room is okay and all but I'm afraid I might break something important there." reasoned Hiro.

"Kay then. Have it your way." shrugged Chico.

Chico had pulled the trolley luggage up the stairs and unlocked the door to his room.

"It's not very spacious, but I think your stuff could still fit in…" apologized Chico to Hiro.

The inside of Chico's room was painted with a dreamy baby blue. The walls were decorated with several posters and a few picture frames. On the left side of the room was Chico's bed which was sitting beside a window. It had a blue bed sheet with a thick blanket with yellow stars painted on it. In front of the bed was a wooden wardrobe as well as a bookshelf. Across the bed was a stereo with a CD player with several CD cases littered around it.

"It's okay Chico-kun. This is cozy enough." laughed Hiro.

The doorbell rang, getting Hiro and Chico's attention.

"I'll go get it. You should start unpacking Hiro-kun…" volunteered Chico as he left the room and went downstairs.

He made his way towards the front door. He grabbed the doorknob and opened the door slowly.

"Yes?" asked Chico politely.

"Hello Chico. Is Hiro here?" asked Shuichi. Behind him was Eiri, smoking a cigarette and looking rather irritated.

"Ah! You're the pink hair guy back at the studio!" pointed Chico to Shuichi.

"That's Shuichi Nii-san to you!" lectured Shuichi.

"If you're looking for Hiro, he's upstairs unpacking." told Chico.

"Okay. Err… May we come in?" asked Shuichi.

"Sure thing pink hai I mean Shuichi Nii-san." nodded Chico.

Shuichi and Eiri stepped inside of the house.

"Hey! No smoking in here!" scolded Chico.

"Hmm? Tch fine!" growled Eiri grumpily. He took one last swig from his cigarette and threw it outside.

"Who is he anyways Shuichi nii-san?" asked Chico.

"I almost forgot! This is Eiri Yuki. He's a special friend of mine!" introduced Shuichi.

"Eiri Yuki? You mean the novelist?!" gasped Chico.

"Yeah! That one! You're a fan too?" asked Shuichi.

"A fan?! You wish! Our teacher made us write a 20 page report on one of his books." pouted Chico.

Eiri's eye twitched at the boy's release of anger.

"Now listen here you inso…!" started Eiri but Shuichi quickly covered his lover's mouth with his palm.

"Now, now Eiri-san. You don't want to be rude with my new friend now, do you?" laughed Shuichi sheepishly.

"Shuichi!" called Hiro from the stairs.

"Hiro!" replied Shuichi, running closer to his best friend and greeting him with a big smile. "Nice crib! I wish I had a place of my own…" grumbled Shuichi.

"Haha… But you live at Eiri's place right?" laughed Hiro.

Meanwhile, Eiri had sat down the sofa exhaustedly. Chico looked at him from head to foot which Eiri took bitterly.

"What are you looking at?" asked Eiri angrily.

"Are you Shuichi's boyfriend?" asked Chico curiously.

Effect: Silence dots appear above Eiri

"Yeah, I am." answered Eiri blandly.

"Okay then. Can I get you anything Uncle Eiri?" asked Chico.

_UNCLE?!_

"Ugh… Do you have coffee?" asked Eiri.

"Yup. I'll get some okay." nodded Chico, heading towards the kitchen.

Hiro and Shuichi finished their little chat with the latter returning to his lover.

"Where'd Chico go?" asked Shuichi.

"He went to get some coffee. Darn brat…" cursed Eiri.

"What were you two talking about?" asked Shuichi.

"I just told him that I was your boyfriend…" answered Eiri, uninterested at the topic.

"YOU WHAT?!" shouted Shuichi as he grabbed his lover's collar and started shaking him violently.

"He's bound to know that you're gay. Better now than later…" sighed Eiri.

"I'M NOT GAY YOU BASTARD!!" roared Shuichi. By now, Shuichi was on top of Eiri banging him repeatedly to the sofa.

"Here's your coffee uncle Eiri." said Chico as he placed the piping hot cup down the center table in front of the sofa.

Chico was curious at what Eiri and Shuichi were doing.

"Uhm… Am I interrupting something?" asked Chico.

Eiri looked at Chico and an evil grin crept in his face. He grabbed Shuichi by the chest and dragged the younger boy's face close to his.

"W-Wait! What are you…?" gasped Shuichi.

Eiri silenced him by planting a deep kiss on his lips. Shuichi struggled in Eiri's grip but the older man didn't budge.

"Cool! I've never seen two guys kissed before…" spoke Chico, observing the two closely.

"Shuichi, K just called he…" told Hiro but he was stunned when he saw his band mate making out with his lover. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING?! THERE'S A CHILD HERE FOR GOD SAKES!" shouted Hiro.

Shuichi pulled away from the kiss and shot a deadly glare at Eiri.

"Gah! YOU SADIST SON O A BIT" yelled Shuichi but Eiri silenced him with his palm.

"Now, now Shuichi. Don't want to be saying those words in front of a child…" grinned Eiri.

"You two horndogs!" sighed Hiro.

"What's a horndog?" asked Chico.

"Keh… Just forget the word okay Chico?" smiled Hiro.

"What's a horndog Uncle Eiri?" asked Chico.

"It's another word for a horny person Chico…" answered Eiri.

"Oh okay! So that's what it is!" nodded Chico.

Effect: Strands of tangled hair starts rising from Hiro's scalp

"Anyway, K just called. We have an emergency press conference tonight. We'll be announcing Chico's debut to the public." told Hiro.

"Can I come?" asked Chico.

"I'm afraid you can't. K said we should keep you on low profile until your debut…" apologized Hiro. "I better go look for a babysitter…" said Hiro.

"I DON'T NEED A BABYSITTER!" complained Chico.

"I'm responsible for you Chico. I can't let you stay here alone." told Hiro.

"Wait, I've got an idea! Let Eiri babysit Chico!" presented Shuichi.

"What?" asked Hiro.

"WHAT?!" yelled Eiri.

"It'll be hard to find a sitter at this hour." added Shuichi.

Eiri wrapped his hands around Shuichi and started strangling him.

"THAT'S THE MOST STUPID SUGGESTION I'VE EVER HEARD! I CAN'T BABYSIT THAT KID! I CAN BARELY TAKE CARE OF MYSELF AND YOU EXPECT ME TO….!"

"Please Eiri? Just for tonight" begged Hiro.

Eiri's eyebrows met with anger and he started to stroke his head in frustration.

"Tch… You'll be back before midnight?!" groaned Eiri.

"K said it won't take long." assured Hiro.

"Fine, fine… I'll watch him." frowned Eiri.

"I owe you one Eiri." smiled Hiro.

"Aww… If only I can stay here and watch Eiri look after a kid…" wished Shuichi imagining himself and Eiri strolling around town with a baby carriage.

"Just take gay boy here and be quick about your little press-con!" scowled Eiri.

Hiro looked at Chico and told him some last minute reminders.

"Be good to Eiri okay? Don't frustrate him too much. Always follow what he says, kay?" reminded Hiro.

"Okay, I will…" nodded Chico. Hiro and Shuichi gave one last wave before leaving the premises.

_Everything I say eh?_

Eiri noticed the TV remote in the center table.

"Hey kid, can I watch TV?" asked Eiri.

"Okay Uncle Eiri." replied Chico.

Eiri switched on the tube and the screen flickered to life.

_And with us now is Bad Luck's manager, K. Mister K, please divulge more information about Bad Luck's upcoming single…_

_All we can tell as of now is that we will add something new to this single. Expect a new type of Bad Luck once you pop the CD in your player._

_After Torrent's recent failure in making it to the Oricon charts, what improvements have you put into this single?_

_That's a very good question Yumi, but I'm afraid I can't answer that without the rest of the band here._

_I for one can't wait to hear it. We'll be taking a short commercial break but when we come back, Bad Luck's members will join us here, live! Stay tuned!  
_

"I'm bored…" groaned Chico as he gave a short yawn. Eiri was surprised to see Chico sitting beside him.

"Then go to bed…" answered Eiri irritably.

"It's only 9 in the evening!" responded Chico angrily.

"You have school in the morning right?" reasoned Eiri.

"I don't wanna!" pouted Chico.

Eiri snapped at Chico's persistence. He stood up and carried Chico in his arms.

"HEY! LET ME GO!!" protested Chico as he thrashed wildly.

"I'll drop you down the stairs if you keep stuggling!" threatened Eiri.

Eiri's angry smock sent shivers down Chico's spine. He stopped his struggle and let Eiri have his way. Eiri kicked the door to Chico's room open and threw him to the bed.

"Go to sleep!" shouted Eiri.

"You're the lousiest babysitter ever!" insulted Chico.

"Good! I never did consider it as a career path!" answered Eiri back.

"Aren't you even going to read me a bedtime story!" complained Chico.

"You're in junior high for crying out loud!" sighed Eiri furiously.

"Some novelist you are! Can't even tell a child a bedtime story!" mocked Chico.

"Grr… FINE! I'LL TELL THE GODDAMN STORY!" yelled Eiri.

"That's better. Let me just change to my PJs…" said Chico, perking up once more. He flimsily removed the red shirt he was wearing as well as his black shorts, reducing him to his underwear. Chico opened the door to his wardrobe and began digging through the mountain of clothes inside.

"Geez, didn't your mother teach you not to change clothes in front of a person?" scolded Eiri.

_He's like a mini version of me…_

"Why? We're both guys Uncle Eiri?" responded Chico, slipping on his favorite blue checkered pajamas. He dove to his bed and looked at Eiri in anticipation. "Okay Uncle Eiri, I'm ready!" signaled Chico.

Eiri gave a sigh and went towards Chico's bookshelf.

"Aww… I don't want those! Make something new up!" complained Chico.

Eiri clenched his teeth in frustration but held back his rage for the child's irritable behavior. He sat down the stool beside Chico's bed and adjusted his glasses.

_Okay, this is a story about a boy, a student to be exact. He was never really liked at his own home but he was adored by many at school. The boy started treating the school as his home, spending every drop of his time there. The school served as his house, his classmates became his brothers and sisters and his favorite teacher became his father._

_The boy shared a mutual love between his teacher which grew stronger and stronger with each passing day. Eventually, the boy's feelings for his favorite teacher started to change. What started out as paternal love grew into infatuation. His teacher's feelings also changed. For a moment, the two of them felt happiness. But all of that changed in one night._

_The teacher wanted more from the boy but he refused to give it to him. This led the teacher to abuse and mistreat the boy. Unable to take anymore, the boy accidentally killed his teacher. The boy now feels empty and guilty about what he had done. He became very unhappy and used other people to substitute the happiness he felt with his teacher._

"The end… Go to bed…" frowned Eiri.

"What kind of bedtime story was that?" complained Chico, crossing his arms and scowling bitterly.

"Alright, screw this. I'm doing it the easy way…" snarled Eiri.

"The… easy way??" asked Chico nervously.

Without any warning, Eiri took hold of Chico, dragging Chico's back against Eiri's chest.

"U-Uncle Eiri? W-What are you gonna do?" asked Chico.

"Putting you to sleep…" answered Eiri blatantly. His hands crept inside Chico's pants, taking hold of the child's length.

"Haa… Uncle Eiri… Th-That's my…" cried Chico as Eiri ran one finger on top of the rod's head.

"Don't worry Chico. I won't hurt you…" assured Eiri.

Eiri lowered Chico's pajamas down his hips and allowed the child to recline in his chest. Eiri immediately gone down to business, fondling Chico's sensitive length.

"U-Uncle Eiri… What are you doing?" uttered Chico.

"You haven't touched yourself before?" asked Eiri.

"Hah… Touch… myself…?" moaned Chico.

"You are too young, Chico. Just let Uncle Eiri do it okay?" giggled Eiri, nibbling gently on Chico's ear.

"I-It feels weird Uncle Eiri… S-Stop…" mumbled Chico.

"It's okay Chico. That's how it's supposed to feel…" smiled Eiri as he pumped the child's rod faster causing Chico to stiffen even more.

"Ha… U-Uncle Eiri… S-Stop it… I think I'm gonna pee!" cried Chico.

"Let it out Chico." whispered Eiri at Chico's ear.

Eiri pulled up Chico's shirt and pinched the child's pinkish nipple.

"Gahah… U-Uncle… Haaaah!!" moaned Chico, spraying his juice all over Eiri's hand. Chico looked over at his legs, spotting the sticky fluid at his lower body. "W-What is it? It's not pee?" asked Chico.

"No. You'll find out when you get older Chico." said Eiri, grabbing his handkerchief from his left pocket and cleaning up the mess in Chico's legs. "How do you fell Chico?" asked Eiri.

"Tired… I wanna sleep." yawned Chico.

Eiri pulled up Chico's pants and underwear and laid his head over the pillow on the bed.

"Go to sleep now okay?" begged Eiri kindly.

"Okay Uncle Eiri." nodded Chico.

"Good night Chico…" murmured Eiri to Chico's ear.

Chico's eyes slowly closed, his body overcome by exhaustion and pleasure.

_Well, that was more fun that I'd expected._

_**Thanks for reviewing YaoiHelian. Don't forget to Read and Review.**_


End file.
